The present invention relates to a collapsible box formed from a generally planar material comprising a bottom and side walls and including a lid if desired, wherein the side walls are hinged or otherwise connected to the bottom such that they can be folded relative to the bottom, and wherein the corners of the box are joined by means of releasable connections.
Known in the art are collapsible boxes of this general type. One example is disclosed in DE Patent Application No. 3,444,477 of a box having a shape amenable to a tongue and groove design in which an end edge of one side extends into a groove on the opposite side of each of the box corners. The end edge is retained in the groove by the action of projections which correspond to depressions in the groove. This design is mechanically weak and will not survive serious impacts. Furthermore, it is difficult to assemble since the projections must be pressed past the "opening" in the groove.
DE Patent Application No. 3,046,954 shows another collapsible transport box in which the corner connection includes hook-shaped latches which extend from the end edge of one side wall into grooves in the other side wall. This design is also mechanically weak, since the latch hooks will yield to loads and will be pulled out of the grooves. Also, the latches are in an exposed position and can be released from the grooves by inept handling of the box.